Japan tour just one part of Tottenham's busy pre-season plans to help Postecoglou preparations

While there are still six matches remaining of Tottenham's season, plans are already being finalised for the preparations Ange Postecoglou will undertake for the next campaign.

Spurs have a number of big matches still to go in this Premier League season and remain on the edge of the top four in fifth spot with what will be three games in hand on Aston Villa by the time the North London Derby kicks off on Sunday afternoon. In the background, plans are already being laid and now confirmed for matches ahead of next season with all of the travel and logistics required as well as sorting out which opponents Tottenham will play in those games.

Here is what is being lined up in the months between the two seasons and around a summer that will also contain the Euros and the Copa America for some of Postecoglou's squad.

In a decision that has drawn some criticism on this side of the world, Tottenham are set to fly straight off across the globe after the end of the Premier League season and the final game at Sheffield United's Bramall Lane on May 19 to play a friendly match a couple of days later in the city where Postecoglou grew up.

After a 22 hour flight down under, as part of Global Football Week Melbourne, Spurs will take on their Premier League colleagues Newcastle United once again after the defeat at St. James' Park this month, but this time it will be in the surroundings of the world famous Melbourne Cricket Ground on Wednesday, May 22 (7.45pm kick-off local time).

Melbourne is a place well known to Postecoglou, having moved there from Greece as a child, and the city adores him, with various murals of the Tottenham boss across a place that already had a strong contingent of Spurs fans before his appointment.

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